Distinguished Alumni

Tom Milhorn

Tom Milhorn graduated magna cum laude from LMU with a double major in mathematics and physics and a minor in chemistry. At the end of his first year in college, he received an award for having the highest academic average in the freshman class.

Upon graduation he received an award for having the highest academic average in scientific subjects. The same year, he received a National Institutes of Health graduate fellowship, making it possible for him to do graduate work. Under the tutelage of Dr. Arthur Guyton, he obtained his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1964. Afterwards, he did a biomathematics postdoctoral fellowship at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

In 1964, with the beginning rank of assistant professor, Dr. Milhorn joined Dr. Guyton’s department. Afterwards, he received a National Institutes of Health Career Development Award that allowed him the freedom to pursue his career. During this time he was the director of the Mississippi Biomedical Engineering program, a joint program among the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State University. In 1975, he received his M.D. from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He subsequently completed a family practice residency and is board certified in that specialty. He is also certified in addiction medicine by The American Society of Addiction Medicine and is a Licensed Certified Mental Health Therapist. From 1964 to 1992, he did research on a variety of topics dealing with the human respiratory system (funded by The National Institutes of Health and The National Aeronautical and Space Administration), as well as research in the family medicine area. He also taught medical students, nursingstudents, graduate students and residents. He has spoken all over the United States, including universities, medical schools, medical association meetings, physiological conferences, biomedical engineering conferences, various engineering society conferences (IEEE, ASME, AIChE), and lay meetings. He has participated in medical programs in Spain, England, Sweden and, just before its collapse, the Soviet Union.

In 1992, Dr. Milhorn retired from the faculty of the University of Mississippi Medical Center with the ranks of professor of family medicine, professor of physiology and biophysics, and associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior. After five years in private practice in Meridian, Mississippi and four years of doing addiction medicine and general medicine at East Mississippi State Hospital, he is now permanently retired, except for reading, writing, web design, and various other hobbies.

Dr. Milhorn is the author of well over 150 research and medical education papers and chapters as well as several books.